I recently watched a movie where the western hero, needing a fire badly, pulled the bullet from a cartridge, placed the case, powder still in it, on the ground, open end pointed at a tinder pile. While holding the cartridge stationary, he put a sharp object against the primer, when whacked it with something heavy. Primer ignited powder, powder ignited tinder. Anyone ever tried this???
That sounds like a bad burn or eye injury in the making! I've heard of pulling a bullet, stuffing a small piece of cloth into the cartridge case, chambering it and firing it at the ground, hoping the cloth will come out smoldering. I've never tried either one, although if it was on TV - it must be real!